GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #19: THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Sometimes you struggle with the idea of optional shore excursions. The “Cuzco, Machu Picchu Overland Adventure” was one such. Who wouldn’t want to go to Machu Picchu, Hiram Bingham’s “Lost City of the Incas”? We sure liked the idea. Against that was the price - a cup of coffee under $10,000. That's a pretty expensive expedition! You could probably fly down from the States for not too much more on a guided tour. Plus, do you really want to shoehorn the experience into four nights and three days? Weighing against that is the looming question, “Will I ever get back? Is this my only opportunity?”

Romance, finance, and “will I have the chance?” are all factors in determining what to do on a cruise like this – while some people enjoy the ship as a floating biosphere from which to look out passively on ever-changing scenery (face it, even when you’re anchored, the waves change and the clouds scud by in the sky), for others it’s a jumping-off place for adventure – like Mr. Fredricksen’s house in “Up!” (no nasty comparisons now!) .

We made the calculation for Machu Picchu, just as we did for a number of other potential excursions, and on this occasion both voted thumbs down. There’s just too much in inland Peru to hope you’ll be able to see it in the available time, plus your chances of being able to get on a tour or go by yourself are pretty good.

Now we see on the news – and have read snippets in the ship’s paper – about the devastating floods which have stranded 100’s of tourists despite Peruvian rescue efforts. Yes, it would have been an experience, but not one that we would have consciously sought out. The people from our boat who made the trek returned – some transformed, some unaffected, one or two who went,” but failed to achieve their goal because of altitude sickness. Now that’s something we should have thought of, but didn’t. We’re both glad and jealous that we didn’t go, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity to benefit from others comments and mistakes and make the plunge ourselves, better prepared, on another occasion.

Perhaps you know what we’re talking about?